Traveling to Frieze London 2017 (October 5-8), and looking for a place to stay? Whitewaller put together a list of top luxury and boutique hotels to make your search a little easier.
Courtesy of Blakes Hotel.
The Groucho Club
The Groucho Club is London’s original private members’ club for the creative arts industries. With an extensive contemporary art collection adorning every wall, the Club is renowned for its rich heritage and reputation for hosting fantastic parties. The Club has several social spaces including two bars and two restaurants, as well as twenty bedrooms and two apartments for members to stay in.
Whitewaller recommends: Ordering a “Twinkle”—The Groucho Club’s signature champagne cocktail.
Courtesy of Blakes Hotel.
Blakes Hotel
Known as the world’s first luxury boutique hotel, Blakes Hotel boasts 45 rooms (including five suites), and is home to Blakes Below—the Asian-influenced bar underneath the hotel lobby—and the tranquil Blakes Courtyard.
Whitewaller recommends: Relaxing in the courtyard for an afternoon tea and éclair pairing.
Courtesy of The London EDITION.
Chiltern Firehouse
The Chiltern Firehouse hotel, located inside a gothic building from 1889, opened in 2014 with 26 rooms and an open-kitchen restaurant. With ingredient-focused fare, the restaurant also boasts striking interiors and delectable dishes.
Whitewaller recommends: Roasted chicory hearts from the restaurant.
Courtesy of Hospital Club.
The Soho Hotel
The Soho Hotel has 96 individually designed rooms and suites, as well as two screening rooms, a gym, beauty treatment rooms, and four penthouse suites. The hotel also offers RikRak—its own bath product collection.
Whitewaller recommends: Afternoon tea at Refuel Bar and Restaurant.
Courtesy of Nobu Hotel Sohreditch.
Shoreditch House
Converted into a members’ club from an old warehouse, Shoreditch House is a fantastic place for those looking to unwind. With the Cowshed Spa and rooftop pool, the club is a true gem for anyone visiting London.
Whitewaller recommends: Partaking in Curry Tuesday at the fifth-floor restaurant.
Courtesy of Ham Yard.
The London EDITION
The London EDITION is a dynamic and elegant 173-room hotel equipped with a restaurant, three bars, meeting rooms, and a bustling lobby. The in-house Berners Tavern restaurant, fumed-oak paneled bar Pump Room, and 2,077-square-foot penthouse are also local favorites.
Whitewaller recommends: Attending a Scandal Water tea session at Punch Room.
Courtesy of Ham Yard.
The Ned
Housed in an old bank building from the 1920s, The Ned is a transformed, regal hotel with 252 guest rooms harnessing an intimate, tailored feel. Guests can spend time in any of the hotel’s nine restaurants and bars (seven are open to the public). It also features a rooftop pool and a vault lounge that are available to hotel guests and members.
Whitewaller recommends: Indulging in a spa treatment or staying at the hotel to enjoy a rooftop swim at Ned’s Club.
Ham Yard Hotel
Vibrant and welcoming with artistic interior touches, Ham Yard Hotel offers a special retreat. Revolving around a tree-filled yard and Group, a bronze Tony Cragg sculpture, the urban hotel invites guests to experience comfort and charm with a rooftop garden, shops, a spa, a gym, a library and drawing room, the Dive Bar, and the Ham Yard Bar and Restaurant.
Whitewaller recommends: Watching a film in the Ham Yard Theatre and bowling in The Croc Bowling Alley.
Nobu Hotel Shoreditch
Elegant and full of thoughtful details, Nobu Hotel Shoreditch offers 143 rooms and seven suites alongside its iconic Nobu restaurant—here with 240 seats. With a dynamic East-meets-West philosophy, the 24-hour culinary experiences welcome visitors to an oasis away, with an exclusive spa and fitness center coming soon.
Whitewaller recommends: Booking the Nobu Suite for views of the skyline from its two private balconies.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The restoration of Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, led by Joyce Wang, has been refined with elegant Art Deco detailing, inspired by the natural beauty of Hyde Park. The first phase—overlooking Knightsbridge—has been unveiled in August 2017, and in summer 2018 the second phase—overlooking Hyde Park, with the addition of two penthouse suites and an extended spa—will relaunch.
Whitewaller recommends: Enjoying the spa’s sanariums and vitality pools.
The Connaught
In the heart of London’s Mayfair, The Connaught, part of Maybourne Hotel Group, blends contemporary style, classic English character, and impeccable service. Exquisite cuisine from Hélène Darroze and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the charm of The Connaught Bar and Coburg Bar, and Europe’s first Aman Spa make this the perfect place to rest, relax, and dine in style.
Whitewaller recommends: Indulging in a meal at the newly opened Jean-Georges at The Connaught.
The Beaumont
Inside and out, The Beaumont is full of both traditional and contemporary details. With Antony Gormley’s ROOM sculpture welcoming guests at its façade, the hotel then guides guests to art and antiques, The Cub Room, The American Bar, The Colony Grill Room, and the Hamam and Spa.
Whitewaller recommends: Booking the presidential (Roosevelt) suite.
Number Sixteen
Fresh, modern, and design-forward, Number Sixteen shows unique personality through 41 individually designed rooms. A private conservatory—a leafy private garden and orangery complemented with an à la carte menu—awaits guests, as does the Honesty Bar.
Whitewaller recommends: Booking a room facing the garden with an outdoor terrace.
The Hospital Club
The Hospital Club is a unique private members’ club in the heart of Covent Garden, for people from of the creative industries to connect, collaborate, and create. The Club has a TV and music studio, a gallery, a screening room, 15 bedrooms, and restaurants and bars.
Whitewaller recommends: Catching a show at the live performance space, The Oak Room.
The Lanesborough
Equipped with luxurious amenities, like a 24-hour butler service and a fleet of 14 luxury cars for chauffeuring, The Lanesborough opens its doors to travelers for an impeccable stay. With 93 guest rooms, seven private dining rooms, and The Lanesborough Club & Spa, the hotel is both a social and secluded space.
Whitewaller recommends: Enjoying a cocktail and live piano music at The Library Bar from six to nine p.m.
The Zetter Townhouse — Clerkenwell
With a touch of British flair and welcoming elegance, The Zetter Townhouse is a 13-bedroom home away from home. Across from St. John’s Square, the hotel boasts the feeling of a private home, with its property available for hire exclusively.
Whitewaller recommends: Having a drink at the cocktail lounge.
To find out more about Frieze London 2017, pick up the new issue of Whitewaller London.
